Even before the high-profile fall of Carillion and related events, public disapproval of outsourcing in the UK has been an unfortunate constant – despite almost boundless evidence that the model benefits the organisational bottom line and UK PLC alike, and the UK’s enviable position as a global centre of excellence for outsourcing. The challenge for the community is how best to alter that negative perception in the face of a determinedly oppositional media and a public which tends to associate the model with job losses and offshoring rather than productivity gains and efficiencies. First and foremost, success stories are key: the industry – especially the buy-side - needs to be much less coy about its wins, and much better at communicating them both within and beyond individual organisations. Better communication is also required between distinct departments and sectors, in order to defuse tensions between often-antagonistic buyers and vendors and to showcase the capabilities of the outsourcing space at a time when budgetary constraints and austerity policies mean that outsourcing can be an invaluable tool.
